MIRI (March 14): Sarawak Workforce Information System (SWIS) is a key component of the government’s efforts to improve the management of labour resources in Sarawak.

In stating this, Miri Labour Department assistant head Doris Rakey said SWIS has provided an online platform for all stakeholders in the employment sector to access the latest, accurate and relevant information to facilitate state labour force management.

“For the industry to move forward and meet its human capital needs, we must have a labour market database that has comprehensive information on short-term and long-term labour needs.

“The Ministry of Education, Innovation and Talent Development (MEITD) has introduced SWIS to meet these requirements,” she said when officiating at a Labour Law workshop at Mega Hotel here today.

Doris said labour law is a basic principle in regulating industry and employer-employee relations in the workplace.

“Labour law plays an important role in protecting the rights of workers, setting minimum standards of labour conduct and also providing remedies for violations of labour conduct.

“This law applies to all workers and employers in Malaysia and all economic sectors including services, agriculture, mining and manufacturing.

MEITD deputy permanent secretary Anielia Siam in her address earlier said the workshop was a good venue for industries to understand the Sarawak Labour Ordinance and labour legislation as well as to discuss and explore the best course of action to identify an efficient mechanism in the development of workforce needs for Sarawak.

“With Sarawak aiming to have a society driven by data and innovation encapsulated in the Post Covid-19 Development Strategy, we need comprehensive and real-time information to bridge the gap between supply and demand within the labour market, particularly in Sarawak.

“For Sarawak to progress and achieve its human capital needs, we must have a comprehensive labour market database that contains information about industry demand for the workforce in the short and long term. In addition, we must also have readily available information about the supply of talent pool from various educational institutions.”

She thus said the ministry has introduced SWIS to cater for the human capital needs.

On the workshop, Anielia said its objectives were to introduce SWIS and demonstrate a tutorial for the participants on the new system.

About 150 individuals participated in the workshop.

The Borneo Post, By Norni Mahadi